Tortillas, Tostadas and Touchdowns!

By Hispanic Kitchen contributor Carolyn Swaney

I love football season. Note the use of the word “season”. As hard as I try, I just can’t wrap my head around the sport.

If you’re still reading, the foodie in you will appreciate why I still love the season, despite my lack of desire to watch the sport: football season gets people together for friends, food and fun. Year after year, I take my place in the kitchen, and delight in making delicious football friendly food. My favorite crowd pleaser? Tostadas. This is a meal that can be as healthy or indulgent, veggie laden or protein packed, spicy or as mild as you like, but always offers one thing…authentic Mexican flavor.

Set up a toppings bar with a variety of vegetarian and carnivore favorites. That helps this something-for-everyone meal let you eat as sophisticated or casual of a meal with or without the hassle of utensils. For a little extra WOW! factor, make your own tortillas, and your guests will be thinking that Rick Bayless himself is hanging out in your kitchen.

So, pack a tostada bar with TONS of toppings, and your guests can help themselves to a plate when they are hungry, when the commercials hit or before heading home.

Tortillas

Makes 12-16 tortillas

2 cups Maseca

¼ tsp salt

1 and ¼ cup water

1 tbsp canola or olive oil

Prepare tortillas according to package directions:

1. Place all ingredients in a medium size bowl. Mix with a spoon initially, then knead with your hands until dough comes together easily.

2. Break into two large pieces, then break each piece into 6-8 smaller pieces, depending on the size of the tortilla that you’d like. Roll each piece into a ball, covering the bowl with a wet towel to keep the other pieces moist.

3. Place one ball in a large freezer bag and place in the center of the tortilla press. Press tortilla, then carefully remove from the bag. Heat the tortilla over medium heat on a comal or in a preheated frying pan, until tortilla is soft and pliable, but cooked through. Remove to tortilla warmer.

4. When all the tortillas are cooked, heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan. Fry tortillas, 1 at a time until crispy. Serve immediately, so guests can top their tostada!

Serve these (or other favorite) toppings on your tostada bar for guests to help themselves

• Chicken
• Chorizo Refried beans (recipe below)
• Whole black beans
• Cheese
• Lettuce
• Onion
• Tomato
• Green Beans – a Mexico City tostada staple.
• Sour cream
• A variety of salsas

Chorizo Refried Beans

Makes 8 servings, or enough for 16 tostadas

This recipe, courtesy of Tyler Florence, marries the spice of chorizo and the heartiness of refried beans.

1/4 white onion, finely diced

2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

2 (15.5 ounce) cans red kidney beans or 3 and ½ cups prepared beans

1 to 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock

salt and black pepper

Directions

1. Remove chorizo from casing into a preheated pot over low heat. Slowly bring the heat up to medium. Fry the chorizo for a few minutes.

2. Add the onion and garlic and fry until both are cooked, about 2 minutes.

3. Add the beans with their liquid and stock and simmer to allow the flavors to come together about 10 minutes.

4. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Use a potato masher to mash the beans into a coarse puree.